Who’s On First?

In February 1938, Abbott and Costello joined the cast of the The Kate Smith Hour radio program, and the sketch was first performed for a national radio audience that March.[1]The routine may have been further polished before this broadcast by burlesque producer John Grant, who became the team’s writer, and Will Glickman, a staff writer on the radio show.[2] Glickman may have added the nicknames of then-contemporary baseball players like Dizzy and Daffy Dean to set up the routine’s premise. This version, with extensive wordplay based on the fact that most of a fictional baseball team’s players had “strange nicknames” that seemed to be questions, became known as “Who’s on First?” By 1944, Abbott and Costello had the routine copyrighted.

Abbott and Costello performed “Who’s on First?” numerous times in their careers, rarely performing it the same way twice. Once, they did the routine at President Roosevelt’s request. The routine was featured in the team’s 1940 film debut, One Night in the Tropics. The duo reprised the bit in their 1945 film The Naughty Nineties, and it is that version which is considered their finest recorded rendition. They also performed the routine numerous times on radio and television (notably in The Abbott and Costello Show episode “The Actor’s Home”).

Duration : 0:8:3


[youtube 8aehzwwD2II]

25 Responses to “Who’s On First?”

  1. Boobie barber… …
    Boobie barber…Hahah

  2. Tomorrow! lol
    Tomorrow! lol

  3. they never …
    they never mentioned a right fielder???

  4. I dunno why someon …
    I dunno why someon thumbs downed this…that’s funny!

  5. Lol, timeless…
    Lol, timeless…

  6. “When you write the …
    “When you write the check for the first-baseman, who gets it?”
    “Ever dollar of it.”

    My favorite line. :D

  7. moderndesignworks on December 2nd, 2009 at 5:55 am

    I guess a Chinese …
    I guess a Chinese player named Hu was on the first base……………..LOL

  8. xD lmao!
    xD lmao!

  9. Beatleluver1234567 on December 2nd, 2009 at 5:55 am

    I Love Abbott and …
    I Love Abbott and Castello!!! <3

  10. this is hilarious. …
    this is hilarious. im sittn here lmao

  11. contrabndsuprman on December 2nd, 2009 at 5:55 am

    This such a classic …
    This such a classic, such a staple of comedic history.

  12. My son plays …
    My son plays baseball, he is just 13 years old and we enjoy so much to listen in the car stereo this incredible sketch almost everyday. Those guys were really comedian stars!

  13. This is defibitely …
    This is defibitely a masterpiece. These guys were born to make people laugh and they are an icon to follow. Who’s on First seems to be so natural and yet, it takes some practice to go and do the whole routine so accurate. They were genius of our time !! GeorgeRocky

  14. i like the bush/ …
    i like the bush/ rice-version too.

  15. makes me feel old.. …
    makes me feel old…..
    but i feel like i am blessed to know about it.

  16. Mystaticromance on December 2nd, 2009 at 5:55 am

    It wasn’t voted one …
    It wasn’t voted one of the top comedic skits of all-time for nothing. This is the skit that cheers me up no matter what mood I’m in.

  17. i LOVE this!
    i LOVE this!

  18. thats so funny!
    thats so funny!

  19. thanks made my day …
    thanks made my day seeing this old classsic

  20. love this one
    love this one

  21. brianstillwater on December 2nd, 2009 at 5:55 am

    soory guys – must …
    soory guys – must disagree – haven’t seen this for a few years – lots of shouting and tired humor….. I know know, it was fresh when it first came out – I though it was tired the st time ’round too.

  22. Absolutely …
    Absolutely brilliant, have’nt seen this for years.. great stuff !

  23. I Don’t Know’s on …
    I Don’t Know’s on third! I love this routine!

  24. My father loved …
    My father loved this routine.

  25. I love it!
    I love it!

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